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Our opinion: State must pursue PBM reform

It’s easy for our eyes to glass over when we hear state legislators are discussing legislation to reform the contract process between pharmacies and drug companies. Known as pharmacy benefit manager reform, there are three PBM companies that dominate the national market - Caremark, Express Scripts and Optum. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, PBMs work with drug manufacturers, wholesalers, pharmacies and health insurers but only handle negotiations and payments in the supply chain. One of the worries with the system is the impact on small, ...

Our opinion: Find long-term energy answers

We find the news that President Joe Biden is releasing a million barrels of gasoline from a federal reserve more of a frustration than a relief. Releasing petroleum from reserves is a short-term band-aid that carries real risks. If a crisis or prolonged economic downturn comes, the U.S. may well regret tapping into this supply. The United States instead should be pursuing long-term solutions — promoting or incentivizing the production of domestic oil and gas and investment in increased refinery capacity. As we have editorialized before, the benefits of developing domestic energy ...

Our opinion: Closing buildings must be on table

John Wortman is absolutely on the right track, in our opinion, when it comes to what the future of the Warren County School District will look like. Given the results of last year’s school board election, Wortman’s insistence on considering fewer school buildings for the 2025-26 school year won’t be popular. But it’s probably the right decision. The school district can save itself between $600,000 and $700,000 by closing Sheffield High School and moving all students full-time to Warren Area High School. Here’s the rub. To achieve those savings the school board has to ...

Our opinion: Back taxes are another punch in the gut

News that the shuttered Irvine Distribution Center owes more than $800,000 in back taxes is just another punch in the gut when it comes to the former Blair and BlueStem site. At a time when money is in the right supply - particularly the $500,000 owed to the Warren County School District - the back taxes are like salt in the wound. The loss of 300 people was bad enough, but the new owner’s unwillingness to pay the taxes due on the facility continues to hurt the rest of the taxpayers who are carrying the load for school and government services. “If those property owners would ...

Our opinion: Warren Gives has banner year

Warren Gives continues to grow. And that’s a good thing given the number of non-profit organizations that need the community’s support to provide the type of support and activities Warren County residents have come to expect. Warren Gives 2024 raised $936,952, a new record, with each of the 107 participating organizations receiving donations. In addition to the record-breaking total, donations were received from all 50 states for the first time in Warren Gives history, the 1,901 individual donors broke past Warren Gives records while the Kinzua Wrestling Club set a new record ...

Our opinion: Proper respect on Memorial Day

No matter what is happening on this nation’s political and economic fronts — and much is happening — Memorial Day, the holiday we are observing today, should not and does not take a back seat. Only something truly catastrophic might cast today’s observance into the background, but even then most Americans would pause in respect to what this day represents. Memorial Day is the day when the nation honors the brave, selfless men and women who gave their lives while in this country’s service. It also is the day each year when Americans put special emphasis on remembering family ...